Blast-furnace-filling apparatus.



Pa'ien'ted Apr.l 29, |902.

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No. 693339. y Patented Apr. 29, |902.`

.1. KENNEDY. BLAST FURNACE FILLING APPARATUS.

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No. 698,839. Patented Ap'r. 29, |902.

J. KENNEDY.

BLAST FURNACE FILLING APPARATUS.

(Applicatiox led Apr.. 16. 1901-) (No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 3.

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Patented Apr. 29, |902. J. KENNEDY. BLAST FURNACE FILLING APPARATUS. (Applicatinn med Apr. 16. l1901.)

4 Sheets-'Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JULIAN KENNEDY, OFPITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLASTFURNACEFILLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,839, dated April'29, 1902.

To all whom, it may 'concern/r Be it known that I, JULIAN KENNEDY, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Blast-Furnace-Filling Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, .showing a blast-furnace topprovided with my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a t'op plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing a portion of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 3, and Figs. 5 and G are detail'top plan and side elevational views of a cross-head connection I prefer to employ.

My invention relates to the filling apparatus employed for blast-furnaces and is designed to provide improved motive-cylinder apparatus for actuating the bells, to improve the supporting mechanism for the cylinders and remove a large part of the framework now used on blast-furnace tops, to improve the mechanism for removing and replacing the lower bell, and to simplify and cheapen the structure.

In the drawings, 2 represents a blast-furnace having a lower hopper 3, with chargingbell 4, and an upper hopper 5, with a cha-rgin'g-bell `6. These hoppers, with their bells, may be of any desirable form and are oper- Iated by hydraulic single-acting cylinders 7 and 8. The cylinder '7 is located above and in line'with the axis of the bells, and its plunfger 9 is provided with an upper rounded post 10, fitting in a central recess in cross-head 11, connected by depending rods 12 12 to cross- Secured to this cross-head is a rod 14, leading to the lower bell 4.

The plunger of the other cylinder 8 is cont nected by cross-head 15 and depending rods 1'6 to counterweighted levers 17, mounted upon shaft 18, the front extensions of these arms having depending rods 19, from which extend chains 20, connected to cross-head 2l. The tubular rod 22, carrying the bell 6, is centrally secured tothe cross-head2l. This 5o arrangement of the connectionspand cylinders Application led April 16, 190.1. Serial No. 56.093. (No model.) p

may be varied without departing from the scope of my broader claims.

' Bothof the motive cylinders are mounted upon a platform or framework 23, secured to the extended and overhanging truss portion of. the track-fram-ework24 for the skip 25. This inclined track is thus extended to form an overhanging cantaliver, to which the cylinders and the cable-pulleys 26 are secured. A large part of the framing now necessary on the top of the blast furnace is thus done away with', and the top lstructure is simplied and cheapened, whilegiving greater facility for repairs or replacing of parts.

Each of the vmotive cylinders. is preferably operated by oil or similar fluid which is ders through pipes V27'and 28, respectively leading from suitable hydraulic valves in the engine-room, and I preferably cushion the downward movement of the plunger or ram by'providing a series of holes 29 in the cylinder, whose openings may be regulated in size by adjustable valves 30. By throttling the dow-out through these valves the descent of the plunger may be cushioned as desired.

In order to prevent leakage of the oil and protect the parts from dust or ore, I form the upper head 31 of 'each motive cylinder with an annular pocket or groove extending around it and through which the rods from the -cross-head extend, and to prevent theoil from contacting with these depending rods I provide cups 32, which extend up from the bottom of the annular groove and contain bushings 33 for the rods. Any oil leaking from the stuffing-box 34 collects in the annular pocket around the cups or hollow posts for the rods and thence runs down through pipe 37 ,extending down into the engine-room, and under the end of which a receptacle may be placed. By watching the accummulation of oil in the receptacle the operator can easily learn the condition of the cylinder-packings tighten or replace the packings.

inder is a cylindrical casing 38, extending upwardly and having a hinged top lid 39 drip-pipes,v 35 and 36, leading to a commonV at any time and if the leak is excessive can Around the annular oil-pocket of each cyl-` forced into and exhausted from these cylinand side hand-holes, closed by hinged and clamped doors 40. -By openin g either of these hand-holes in the sides of the casing access is given to the packings and the head of the cylinder and plunger for repairs.

In order to keep the cylinder heads and casings in proper alinement, I provide them with flanged extensions having slotted openings through which extend the clampingbolts 41, as shown in Fig. 2, and adjustingscrews 43 are used to adjust these heads. By loosening the screws on one side and screwing up those on the other the rod bushings or guides may be properly lalined.

The main motive cylinder 7 is made with a much longer stroke than is necessary to operate its bell, the stroke being ordinarily about three times the usual stroke, and when the main bell is injured and needs to be replaced the main hopper holddown-bolts are loosened, and the bell, with the entire hopper mechanism supported thereon,is raised above the top of the furnace. Rails are then slid under the bell, which is lowered upon them and detached from its supporting-rod. This bell is then moved sidewise and handled by a pivot-crane 44, which is mounted upon the top structure of the furnace, by which it is lowered to the ground; 'lheother bell is then lifted and swung in by this crane, and being connected up the parts are lowered to their normal position and clamped in place. By thus making the operating-cylinder with a stroke long enough to lift the bell and parts entirely above the top of the furnace I reduce the time forreplacing the bell to a small fraction of that now required.

The overhangingtrack-section 45 is preferably pivoted, as shown at 46 in Fig. 1, so that it will swing back and not obstruct the lifting of the hopper mechanism when replacing the bell.

To assist in removing and replacing the bell, I preferably provide mechanism for connecting both bells to one cylinder to be used in lifting these bells. Thus in Figs. 5 and 6 I show the upper cross-head 13 as provided with laterallyprojecting spool-shaped supports 47, and the lower cross-head 2l has four swinging hooks 48, which may be thrown into engagement with the supports 47, as shown in these figures. In normal operation of the furnace these hooks are swung back and hang down; but in taking out the bell they are engaged with the upper cross-head, so that the main cylinder lifts both bells together.

. The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in blast-furnace practice. The use of the hydraulic cylinders gives a simple and positive means for actuating the bells which will not freeze in cold weather. The inclosing of the parts around the head protects them from dust, which would cut the parts, and by the oil-drip recess the oil is kept away from the rods, while the amount of leakage can be constantly determined, thus informing the operator of the condition of the packings. The mounting of the operating mechanism above the overhanging cantaliver clears away from the top a large proportion of the framework formerly necessary, reducing the cost and making the construction and replacing easy.

The use of the long-stroke cylinder` for the main bell greatly simplifies and cheapens the replacing of this bell, and the entire operating mechanism is of two parts and not liable to get out of order.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the operating-cylinders, the bell and hopper mechanism, and the other parts without departing from my invention.

I claim- 1. A'blast--fu'rnace having an inclined track leading to its top,'with au overhung cantaliver portion, a bell, and bell-operating mechanism supported on said cantaliver, substantially as described.

2. A blast-furnace having aninclined track leading to its top, with an overhung extension, a plurality of bells and bell-operating cylinders mounted upon the overhanging cantaliver extension and connected to the bells, at least one of the cylinders being above and in line with the axes of the bells; substantially as described.

3. A blast-furnace having a charging bell and hopper, and a cylinder arranged to raise and lower the bell and connected thereto, said cylinder having at one movement a stroke of sufcient length to lift the bell above the ICO blast-furnace top for replacing it; substantially as described.

4. A blast-furnace having acharging bell and hopper, and a motive cylinder above and in line with the axis of the bell and connected thereto, said cylinder having at one movement a stroke of sufficient length to lift the bell entirely above the top of the furnace; substantially as described.

5. A blast-furnace having a charging bell and hopper, a motive cylinder above the bell and containing a plunger carrying at its upper end connections leading downwardly to the bell, a valvecontrolled source of nonfreezing liquid under pressure leading to the cylinder, and a casing inclosing the plunger and the uppen'parts of its connection; substantially as described. Y .6. A blast-furnace having a charging-bell, a motive cylinder connected thereto, said cylinder having a plunger, an oil-pocket at the head of the cylinder, a cross-head carried on the plunger and a rod extending from the cross -head down through the pocket and connected to the bell; substantially as described.

7. A blast-furnace having a bell, and a motive cylinder having a plunger connected to said bell, said cylinder having a stationary casing or cover extending upwardly from its IIO head and containing a cross-head with rods extending down to the cylinder connection;

- substantially as described.

8. A blast-furnace having abell-operating cylinder containing a plunger, an annular liquid-receiving pocket surrounding its head portions, and astationary casing surrounding the pocket and arranged to inclose the plunger in its movements; substantially as described.

9. A blast-furnace having a bell-operating cylinder provided with packing, and having a liquid-pocket arranged to receive the liquid from the packing; and a drip-pipe leading from the pocket down to 'near the ground-V level; substantially as described.

l0. A blast-furnace having abell-operating cylinder provided with a liquid-receiving recess around its head, a plunger Within the cylinder, and a hollow post in the recess through which extends a rod connected to the plunger; substantially as described.

11. A blast-furnace havin g a belloperating tions with said bells, and detachable locking devices for securing the cross-heads together; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setl my hand. y JULIAN KENNEDY.

Witnesses:

C. P. BYRNEs, v AH. M.Y CORWIN. 

